You Are Here - 2018-12-31

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Sue

00:25

@Willeke Hi! Thanks so much for the guidance. I'll do my best to follow it. I hope 2019 is your best year ever!

Sue

00:43

@Willeke, here I am again! I forgot to ask the policy on removing "thank you" type things when editing posts. The generic help center page travel.stackexchange.com/help/behavior says taglines may be removed as "noise." I think that's a rude term, but that's my opinion. On other sites, if I'm already doing a substantial edit, I delete it. even though I don't want to!

I think there's something on SE Meta about changing that so people are allowed to thank us but I can't find it. On this site, should I leave them in or not?

Thanks (ha, ha!)!

11 hours later…

Mark Mayo

11:34

Definitely fine to remove 'thanks' or 'dear sir" type texts

Happy New Year to all, may it be a fantastic 2019 for everyone!

1 hour later…

Willeke

12:50

Happy new year to you all.

Hi @Sue, like you I would not edit just to remove the 'thanks' at the bottom of the post, but I would certainly take it out when editing for whatever other reason. I certainly edit for 'I hope this answer is helpful' lines, they annoy me much, even more when on a poor answer as they often are.

I often put in the editing note that I took it out to remove noise or chat.

Willeke

13:05

@RoryAlsop @GregHewgill @IceInkberry, if you post here, I will star it for you, so you get your hat.

Others are welcome as well.

Ice Inkberry

13:43

@Willeke I don't quite understand :P

Rory Alsop

13:53

@Willeke Happy Hogmanay to you :-)

Willeke

Happy Hogmanay @RoryAlsop

Avnish Kabaj

Plis

Me too

Willeke

@IceInkberry, if you collect hats for the winterbash, you should get one some time soon, can be about 30 minutes.

Avnish Kabaj

Arigato

Willeke

It is tradition to star here on New Years eve and day.

(Me is not starred yet)

Is now. Thanks

Ice Inkberry

13:57

Oh, I see. Kinda new to hatting thing! Thanks!

Happy new year to everyone! :)

2 hours later…

alecxe

16:18

Happy New Year and let the hat be with you all!

Willeke

And with you.

Willeke

16:51

Hi @apsillers

apsillers

Hi! I popped into ask a quick question about round-trip vs. two one-way tickets, but I found an answer on the main site (travel.stackexchange.com/q/25367)

Willeke

Does that question/answers answer your question?

apsillers

I think it does -- the only interesting wrinkle is that my two one-ways would be with the same airline (they strangely jack up the price on the return trip when booking a round trip), so that might or might not invalidate some points that assume the one-ways are on different carriers

But I think it's more likely that the answers just assume they're different carriers, and rebooking each way, even with the same carrier, is going to carry double change fees, etc.

Willeke

In some cases it is an advantage to buy two one ways, if you miss, or decide not to take, the outbound flight, you can still use the return tickets, which are often declared void if you have a return flight.

You will have to pay to get out there though.

Change fees are often per ticket or even per flight, so it might make a difference or non.

apsillers

All excellent points, thanks! I just reviewed the terms of fare, and I think you're right re: change fees per flight even on round-trip

Willeke

17:02

I often between the Netherlands and the UK, two or three times per year, and I chose my airline on other details, but one is two one way tickets, one is returns,

I would not let the difference influence me even though I do know the advantages.

I also have never changed the date of a flight, not possible on most of the tickets I buy, or so expensive that buying a new ticket is as easy.

But with these two countries I have many options to travel, including train and ferry.

apsillers

Oh, I see

And yeah, I definitely know the feeling of "Oh, this rate allows cancellation... for a $200 fee on a $300 ticket. Oh."

Willeke

Against a $150 ticket without change options

apsillers

:) exactly

one more long-shot question

I'm planning to go from the U.S. to Spain, and visit the Netherlands, too

Willeke

I also think that with regular cheap flights and the odd no free cancelation option hotel night, I do not need an insurance that pays if I can not take the travel. I have saved more on not paying than they would have paid me for any of the travels. And I also never met their restrictions. I do insure the long distance travels.

Yes, Schengen, both of them.

At this time no visa needed, in the future they might require an electronic 'non-visa' like the USA has the ESTA.

apsillers

Good to know

Willeke

17:10

Seeing the distances involved I would look at flights, likely an open jaw, like fly out to Spain, return from NL.

apsillers

okay, "open jaw" was actually the phrase I was looking for

fantastic

I was just going to say, I don't care about order

Willeke

And check out an European airline for the flight from one to the other.

Base it on climate. In spring start in Spain, in fall start up north, in the rest of the year, look for the best flight deals.

apsillers

I was wondering if any tools exist for solving this traveling-salesman for me :) I expect not, but surely the residents of Travel.SE would know

Oh, tree, the internal ES/NL fares might differ by direction as well; I do need to look up all three legs and compare

Willeke

I think you need one of the people who often fly US/Europe or vv, and are good with flight search engines.

apsillers

I think I'm slowly becoming one of those people :)

Okay, great -- this has been really helpful!

Willeke

17:14

Search for which tab we have about flight search engines and read a few of the newer Q/A about them.

And certainly come in here before you buy, as some of the regulars here, now not in, are great. I am not interested in prices, so do not remember.

apsillers

Thanks for the pointer to [flight-search-engines] -- I will check that out

Willeke

Not sure what it is named but if you find one Q, you find the tag.

apsillers

I will definitely confer here before I buy; I might be able find the best price on offer right now, but I'm particularly interested if someone can say "No, wait until X airline has a sale" or "Definitely move your plans down a month for that country"

All right, I'll be back later, then :)

Thanks!

Willeke

Have a good new year

apsillers

You too!

Willeke

17:52

Reminder, we start this competition in just over 5 hours, at which time we stop the voting count on the December one.

Q: Photo competition January 2019

Over the three months December 2018 - February 2019 I want to run a photo competition, (it can run longer if well accepted and active, but three months is guaranteed.) The highest voted answer will get the fame and bragging rights. An extra virtual prize may be given to that or any other photo. ...